


what could have been

by luvsgalo



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra (She-Ra)-centric, Character Study, Scene rewrites, catradora if you squint, scortra if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:41:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24179119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvsgalo/pseuds/luvsgalo
Summary: 5 times Catra regretted letting things get so far, and the 1 time she thinks of what could have been5+1 things
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Catra & Entrapta & Scorpia (She-Ra), Catra & Scorpia (She-Ra)
Kudos: 19





	what could have been

1

Walking in, taser in hand, Catra was just about ready to punch someone's face in. Her plan was falling apart, everything was being held together by a thin string. Now wasn't the time for Hordak, or Adora, or anyone to ruin her plans. Pushing Scorpia out of her way, Catra roughly grabbed Entrapta by the shoulders and pulled her off of her feet. 

“Why aren't you in Hordak’s lab?” She growled, hair standing on edge. Time was running out and there was no time to waste, especially for people to start backing out now. Adora was tied up, the princesses have invaded, and now Hordak and Entrapta were both testing her patience. 

Entrapta started to hesitate. Catra could feel her temper starting to rise even higher than before. “There’s no time! We need to fire up the portal machine.” Entrapta flinched from Catra’s loud tone and jumped away from her. Growling, Catra whipped around to face her. 

“We can’t,” Entrapta furrowed her eyebrows. “Opening a portal right now will be disastrous. It’s going to collapse and take us all with it. Adora was right.” She stammered. 

Catra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Adora. Adora, Adora, Adora, it’s always about her isn't it? She always feels the need to come up from under her and steal away her glory right when it's in her grasp. Even when she is the one tied up and _Catra _is the one with the airtight plan, she still affects her in every way.__

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Catra clenched her fists so hard that her nails were digging into her palms, threatening to draw blood. “Adora is right.” She let out a breathed laugh and let her head fall forward. Entrapta looked at her confused.

A tuft of hair fell out from her helmet as she continued to laugh in amusement and disbelief. “ _Adora _,” she seethed, “gets everything she wants.” taking a couple steps forwards until she’s right in front of Entrapta, Catra pushes her hair back in place and takes a few deep breaths in order to compose herself. “But not this time. This time, _I _am going to win. I don't care what it takes. We are opening that portal _now _.” She bellowed, letting each word get louder than the last. She could feel her face getting hotter from anger and frustration. Catra wanted to believe what she was saying, but she could feel her victory getting farther and farther from her.______

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“No! I won't.” Entrapta squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. Each word that came out of her mouth made Catra feel this win slip out through her fingers. Her eyes moved around frantically in anxiety and desperation. Just before she felt like everything would go wrong, she spotted the taser by her feet that she threw to the ground earlier. In a moment of desperation, she picked it up. 

Entrapta turned on her heels ready to walk out the door. “I need to tell Hordak. He’ll understand—” 

Catra rams the taser into Entrapta’s lower back electrocuting her. Entrapta let out a shriek before her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she fell to the floor. Catra was panting heavily with the taser still in her hand. Her eyes widened as she raised the taser to her face, looking at it as if _it _betrayed Entrapta, not her. Her eyebrows furrowed and terror overtook her face.__

____

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_Did she really just do that?_

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____

Entrapta laid, face down on the floor in front of her, almost like she was mocking Catra for what she just did. What does she do now? Catra felt like her heart was beating a hundred beats per minute. Time was suddenly moving too fast. The room was starting to feel too hot for comfort. She looked up at the goon from the Crimson Waste in a last effort to make sense of the situation she just made.

“Get her out of here!” She yelled in pure desperation. 

“What do you want me to do with her?” Catra couldn't think straight, she just stared at the taser still locked in her grip. 

“I don't care. Just get rid of her!” Catra searched around the room for an answer. Any answer. She suddenly realized only one option where no one could find Entrapta. And if no one could find her, then she couldn't squeal to anyone about what happened here. 

Hesitating slightly, Catra scrunched her face in frustration. “Put her on the transport to Beast Island.” She rushed. 

Scorpia who was watching the whole scene take place from behind her, gasped. “B-Beast Island!? You can’t!” She said in an effort to make Catra realize what she had just given an order for. 

Catra knew that she had given that order in a haste. Deep down she really didn’t want to send Entrapta to Beast Island. But she also didn't want to seem weak in front of anyone anymore. She didn't want to seem scared. She didn't want people to not take her seriously. She had to instill the idea of her being in power to other people. 

Turning around, Catra activated the taser again, pointing it at Scorpia. “You wanna be next?” She growled. The look on Scorpia’s face hurt to see, but she had to keep her unwavering facade up. Catra didn’t mean for any of this to happen. This wasn't the way things were supposed to go. 

Catra dropped the taser like it was hot fire and left Scorpia behind before she felt any worse. She turned around to see Entrapta’s limp body being manhandled like a sack. She felt sick to her stomach and bile rising in her throat. What was she going to tell Hordak? She obviously couldn't tell him the truth, otherwise _she’ll _be the one with a one way ticket to Beast Island. She had to figure out what she was going to tell him.__

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Her head was pounding. Throbbing against her hand that's rubbing her temples. When did things get to this?

2

Catra stumbled and grabbed onto the nearest tree for support. Half of her vision was partly gone and she could hardly feel her right leg and arm. Nearly tripping over her own feet, she slowly made her way over to where Adora might've been. 

Hurriedly making her way through the tall trees and bushes Catra spots Adora curled into a fetal position, fingers gripping her hair and pulling them from her ponytail. The earth and ground around her was crumbling and tearing away only to be sucked into the portal behind her. 

Catra snickered slightly and slowly walked over to her. Straightening her back and tilting her head slightly, Catra raises her hand and pokes her pointer finger on Adora’s forehead as she lifts her head up. Adora’s eyes were slightly blurry from her tears as she tried to focus on the figure standing before her. 

“Hey Adora.” Catra was surprised by the distortion of her own voice for a second before forcibly pressing her palm against Adora’s face, pushing her into a different location. She wasn't sure how this portal was supposed to work in the first place, but she decided to just go with it. 

The both of them landed in the Crimson Waste, Catra on top of Adora. Both her knees were on each side of Adora’s legs as she rested her weight on them. “Awe, where are your friends.” She said in a voice filled with fake sympathy. 

Adora dodged a swipe from her claws before grabbing her by the forearm. “Catra, stop. You have to—

“It’s always the same with you Adora.” She shoved her hand into Adora’s face, pushing her away so she couldn't land a hit. “I _have _to do this. Oh, we _have _to do that.” Twisting Adora around as she held her hand in place, Catra wedged her chin in the crook of Adora’s neck. “Let’s be honest, all of this is your fault.”____

_____ _

_____ _

Catra felt like she was on a high. She finally had an outlet to blame all of her frustrations on. Of course she knew deep down that Adora wasn't fully responsible for all the things happening to her lately, but maybe if she kept blaming her, it would turn out true? Catra wanted more than anything to have the blame be taken off of her name. She hated hating herself for every mission gone wrong, or failed infiltration. 

Catra swung Adora from her pinned arm, throwing her into another location where she was slammed into a tree. “If you hadn't gotten captured, your sword wouldn't have opened the portal.” She knows she's wrong. She knows that she’s the one who started the portal, the one started this doomed timeline. Picking up Adora by the collar, she flings her back into the metal railing behind them before dragging her to the edge.

She held Adora’s shoulders, just steadying her over the edge. “If you hadn't gotten the sword and been the world's worst She-Ra, none of this would've happened.” Catra smirked letting her fang show, before letting go of Adora and letting her fall. 

Next was the Sea Gate. Catra’s first big failed mission. Right when it started to go wrong. She saw Adora’s head pop out of the water and grabbed her by the ponytail, lifting her back onto land. “Admit it Adora,” she pulled Adora closer so that they were face to face, “the world would still be standing if you had never come through that portal in the first place.” Dunking Adora back in the water made Catra feel like she was the one in power. Adora didn't have her sword, and _she _was the weak one now. Not Catra.__

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Adora squinched her eyes in pain as she landed on the steps in the Horde. Catra leaned over so she was directly above Adora. “You made me this.” She fumed. Adora ran out of the room but didn't get far before Catra kicked her lower back, making her fall to the ground. 

Catra began to have less fun with this. She didn't want to make Adora feel bad anymore. She wanted her to know how much suffering Adora had caused her. Adora _needed _to know what Catra had to deal with becuase of her stupid friends and stupid She-Ra powers.__

Catra balled her fists in anger. “You took everything from me!” Harshly picking up Adora from the ground and throwing her into a chair in the next location hop, she slammed her palm beside Adora’s face causing her to flinch. She leaned in so that Adora was forced to look at nothing except Catra’s eyes. “You broke the world and it’s all your fault.” She let out a devious grin. 

Suddenly Catra saw Adora’s eyes squint and her brows furrow in anger. “No it’s not!” Adora shouted, roughly pushing Catra’s shoulders so she stumbled back into the place where they started. The ground was more crumbled than it was before, and was threatening to lose hold at any given moment. 

“I didn't make you pull the switch.” Catra decided now was the time for less talking. She went in for a hit with her claws, but Adora countered and caught her wrist before Catra could do any damage. Catra’s eyes widened as Adora roughly pulled her forward. “I didn't _make _you do anything.” Flinging Catra to the ground, she let out a sharp yell and propped herself up with her good arm.__

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Adora stood towering over her and Catra felt even lower than she was feeling in the beginning. “I didn't break the world, but I am gonna fix it.” Adora glared down at her, “And you? You made your choice.” 

_No _. This wasn't Catra’s choice. Sure she pulled the switch but she didn't mean for things to end up like this. She just wanted Adora back in the Fright Zone and for things to go back to the way they were. Fighting for the Horde was meaningless if Adora wasn't there with her. She felt immense frustration building up. Letting out a loud growl, Catra stumbled to her feet and took another swing at Adora.__

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Adora rolled her shoulder back. “Now live with it!” She slammed her fist into the side of Catra’s face in a powerful sucker punch. Catra felt the force of the hit fling her to the ground before she even registered falling herself. She wasn't fully knocked out. Catra could sense the things happening around her, like Adora’s heavy breathing and the earth cracking and breaking loudly. She had no energy to feel any sort of defeat or panic. She just stayed laying there, neither pained nor angry. She was emotionless. But in some sense, Catra felt like this emotionless feeling she was experiencing could mimic loneliness. 

3

Catra paced back and forth in the hallways of the Horde. What was taking Scorpia so long? She should have found the recordings by now. She was breathing heavily just from getting herself worked up. When she turns her head she spots Scorpia’s big build. 

Catra takes a deep breath and crosses her arms over her chest. “You better have something for me.” She says. Scorpia’s expression looked sort of worried as she held a piece of metal between her pincers. 

“Entrapta’s recording,” Scorpia glanced up, “She stored them all in Emily.” 

Catra smirked as she took the piece from Scorpia, but upon looking at it closer she could tell that it was slightly damaged and bent. Her face grimaced. 

“The chip got damaged when I extracted it, but hopefully that won’t matter.” Scorpia said as she waved her arms around. Catra clenched her hand before balling it into a fist. “It was just so small and, you know,” Scorpia avoided Catra’s stare, “pincers.” Laughing nervously, Scorpia awaited whatever Catra was going to throw at her.

“You broke… The recordings?” 

Scorpia brought her pincers up to her chest in slight fear and intimidation. “I-I didn’t mean to—”

“I asked you to do _one _thing!” Catra flung the scrap of metal somewhere to her side as she swung her arms open in anger. “One simple thing, and you completely ruined it!”__

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Catra couldn't believe this. Just one thing, one simple thing is what she asked for, and of course it doesn't go her way. Things never do, do they? She should have just done this task herself. Just like Scorpia to go and mess things up for her. 

“But of course you ruined it.” Catra scoffed. “Yeah. You’re Scorpia. That's just what you do.” 

Catra started to pace again. A million things running through her mind. “You couldn't handle Emily, you never know when to shut up. The only thing you've ever done is get in my way! I mean what did I expect? I mean, how can you possibly be this useless?” 

Scorpia kept her head down and her eyes drew together. Squinting her eyes, Catra grew more annoyed at Scorpia keeping quiet. “What?” She barked. 

Lifting her head up, Scorpia had a sad look of realization on her face. “You're a bad friend.” She breathed. Shoulders drooping, Scorpia turns on her heels and leaves. The hairs on the back of Catra’s neck rise. 

_Bad friend _.__

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She's a… bad friend. 

Thinking back to all the times Scorpia had flinched in fear from her tone, or had a dejected expression on her face because of Catra, she realizes that maybe she isn't the best person she could've been. But Scorpia was always on her side, she always defended her and tried to make her smile. 

Her heart fell to her stomach. Maybe… Scorpia was right. She is a bad friend.

4

Catra brought one of her knees up to her chin as she stared out into the ocean, letting her other leg dangle over the edge of the rock she was sitting on. The Horde was docked at the Sea Gate for some business and Catra had decided to take a break and invite Scorpia to take it with her. Perched on top of one of the statues near the Sea Gate, Catra looked around for any sign of Scorpia. 

_That's weird _.__

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Touching her communicator, Catra tried to signal the other Force Captain. “Hey, Scorpia. Where are you? It’s not like you to be late.” All she got back was static. 

Letting her face all, Catra brought her other knee up her chin, and crossed her arms over her legs as her tail wrapped around her feet. It was a defensive pose if anything. Catra didn't usually have time to be lonely when Scorpia was always keeping her occupied with her small talk. 

“Listen,” she murmured, “I’ll kill you if you tell anyone this, but…” Hesitating slightly she brought both her hands to her side. “I thought winning would be different. Or at least more… I don't know. _Fun _?”__

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Her broach still gave back feedback. Is she still angry with her?

“Come on. You're not still mad about before, are you?” A pause. “Stop being so sensitive. Get over it and talk to me, Scorpia!” She insisted. 

Still static.

Catra’s expression dulled. “Scorpia? Scorpia!?” She grew panicked now. There has to be a reason Scorpia isn't answering her. She always comes to her side when she asks. Maybe something… happened to her?

Hopping off the cliff, Catra knew she had to go back to the Horde and find Scorpia. She had to know what was up with her and make up. 

Rushing through the crowd of Horde soldiers, she shoved each one harder than the other in haste to get back to her ship. She grew more worried as time passed back on the way back. What if Scorpia left? What if she betrayed her? First Adora, then Entrapta, she cant let Scorpia leave too. 

Sprinting down the halls of the Horde, she bumped walls from turning corners too fast. “Scorpia?” She said in a haste from rushing into Scorpia’s room. Catra looked around for her trying to catch her breath. “Scorpia?” her voice was small as she heard it back. Her ears perked up as they heard the same static from before. Looking down, there, on Scorpia’s bed was her sleeveless denim jacket from the Crimson Waste, her communicator, and a small folded note. Catra really didn't want to see what that note said. She didn't want her fears to be confirmed. Picking up the bundle from the bed, Catra hesitantly opened the note and gasped.

“im sorry”

She squinted her eyes in anger and disappointment. Dropping everything and letting her arms fall to her side, Catra stood still. 

Another “friend” gone, huh?

5 

Crouching down, Catra lightly gripped her grazed arm. “Why would Horde Prime care about you?” She blurted. “You're a defect, a mistake. Haven't you noticed? I’m running things around here!”

Hordak brought his weapon-arm up, pointing at Catra as he let out a loud battle cry. Catra let out a shrill shriek and jumped to grab a large wire before the explosion from the blast pushed her away. Swinging around the wire, she launched herself at Horde, catching him off guard. Pushing his weapon away from her direction, she sucker punched Hordak and landed a swift kick to his weapon, effectively destroying it. 

Hordak cried out in frustration. Catra, giving the most blood thirty glare she could muster, circled around and kicked Hordak in the back, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground in front of her.

Catra took a step forward. “Now we can finally end this. I didn't need Entrapta. I didn't need Adora, or Scorpia and I don't need _you _!” Her voice cracked from all the emotion behind her words. Catra lunged at Hordak and ripped out the crystal from his armor, wires and all.__

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She knew she had won. Hordak couldn't do anything without the source of his power. Now he was just a glitching old hunk of metal. Catra straightened her back and tilted her head down, looking down at Hordak. Her ears picked up the squeaking of the metal before Hordak, and when he noticed, it was too late. The wires above him snapped from the ceiling and promptly fell on top of him, leaving only Catra standing. She guarded her face from the dust and debris that flew through her. 

Trying to catch her breath, she knew that Hordak was still alive. She could hear his muffled groans and labored breathing. 

Catra could feel a headache coming on. Her peripheral view started to blacken and her balance was wobbly. If she had to fight Hordak any longer she probably would've passed out. She didn't want to think about it but now… she was scared. What was going to happen now that she’s overthrown Hordak? Does she take over? Does she leave? A million things were running through her mind that she wanted nothing more than to have the groundwork laid out for her. She was tired of having to stress about her next move, her next ten moves. 

The stress was getting to get to her more than ever before. She was scared. What was going to happen now?

+1

Catra sat up on the ledge overlooking the Fright Zone. It was about three in the morning, and she couldn't sleep. She felt alone. Scorpia left, Entrapta was wasting away somewhere on Beast Island, Double Trouble was just in this for the money, and they weren't even here right now, Hordak was stuck under rubble and now she was just waiting for the princesses to find her.

Catra couldn't help but think back about all the times that things went wrong. All the things that could've gone differently. She looked down at all the soldiers fighting their own against the Rebellion. She wonders what would've happened if she joined Adora that time. 

~

_“I’m not going home Catra. I can’t. Not after everything I’ve seen.” Adora grabbed Catra’s hand in a gentle hold. “Come with me. You don't have to go back there. We can fix this.”_

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_Catra’s brows knitted as she briefly considered her offer. Ripping her hand out of Adora's, she took a step back like she was poison. “Are you kidding? You've known these people for, what, a couple of hours? And now you're gonna throw everything away for them?” She waved her arms around in exasperation. “Ugh. What happened to you?” ___

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_“I don't know. But I have to do something. I’m sorry, Catra.” Turning her back on Catra, Adora felt a surge of electricity run through her. Catra stood behind her with one of the Horde’s tasers in her hand. She didn't think that it would be that effective, but she had to stop Adora from leaving. Does she really think that Catra would follow her anywhere like a little sidekick? _ ____

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~

Catra wondered where she would be if they had taken Adora’s offer that day. She sure as hell wouldn't have met Scorpia, or Double Trouble, or even gotten that invested in whatever was happening with Shadow weaver or Hordak. Honestly, without Catra the Horde would have run itself into the ground the minute she left considering how she’s been running things the minute Adora left. But if she did leave that day, she would still be with Adora, and maybe that would’ve been worth it. She would be She-Ra’s partner in crime, taking back Etheria. She could cringe thinking about “taking back Etheria” but with Adora, maybe it would be the life for her.

Now here she was, waiting for the possibility of either Horde Prime to come enslave them all, or for the Rebellion to get her first. She couldn't care what happens next to be completely honest, she’s had enough of not being appreciated. Sick of always chasing after glory like that’s what's going to bring Adora and Scorpia and Entrapta back. 

Catra sighed in defeat. She swung both her legs back and forth over the edge and rested her hands behind her. She closed her eyes and relaxed her expression hearing the sounds of battle below her. 

Things could have been different.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first attempt at angst and "action scenes" so please let me know how i did! also the +1 scene is my interpretation of what could have happened


End file.
